Ebstein: Giving Labor Day a contemporary meaning
Has Labor Day lost its relevance Labor Day was first designated in when labor union leader Peter McGuire proposed to the New York Central Labor Union to honor workers in New York with their own holiday America was in the midst of the Industrial Revolution marked by -hour workdays child labor and abysmal working conditions Then in the Pullman strike occurred At its heart was a wage reduction for workers belonging to the American Railway Union The depression of had caused CEO George Pullman to reduce wages He did not however lower rents within the company town he built for his workers leaving workers barely able to feed their families When leaders of the ARU requested a meeting with Pullman Pullman refused and fired them This caused thousands to walk off the job and a massive disruption to rail traffic ensued Politicians turned to the courts for help A court injunction was granted requiring an end to the strike President Cleveland sent in troops to enforce the ruling Riots ensued President Cleveland worked to diffuse the tension by calling for a national holiday to celebrate workers He also hoped it would keep labor squarely behind him Thus began our commemoration of Labor Day usually marked with parades barbeques and occasional fireworks The holiday has lost its original significance for countless reasons In the Occupational Safety and Fitness Administration was established to ensure a safer workplace With mandated standards random inspections and hefty penalties for noncompliance the workplace is vastly improved Also affecting the significance of Labor Day is the much lower participation rate in labor unions from a peak of in to in Within the private sector union participation has dwindled to in partly due to the decline in U S manufacturing No doubt the attitude of millennials has affected the holiday as they are not typically big union supporters In the past union members gladly ceded authority to the union because benefits ensued more generous pensions improved working conditions and the like In contemporary times s millennials view the world differently They ve grown up in a gig financial market tend to be skeptical of those in power and appreciate their independence This does not mean Labor Day can t be relevant in but a reframing is needed Can we view the day through a more modern lens considering topics including the effect of globalization AI and automation on the workforce When the holiday began unions benefited by having their shifts reduced from hours to eight Nowadays connected to multiple digital devices we work around the clock which can lead to fatigue and burnout Our work-life boundaries range from small to non-existent The promise offered by Work from Home once considered a boon hasn t been freeing at all What if in we use Labor Day to engage in conversation with our families and explore how we can lead a life with more intentionality less digital grind and more balance Jill Ebstein is the editor of the At My Pace series of books and founder of Sized Right Marketing a consulting firm InsideSources
